His Favorite christmas Story
by hot-ninja-babe
Summary: Song fic. Ino/Shikamaru. Read to find out more.


**This is the story that I wrote for the poll vote on Shikamaru and Ino. It's a song fic, the songs called **_**His favorite Christmas story**_**, by Capital Lights. It's not Christmas, but I really wanted to write about this. It's a glass half full or half empty thing, it can be sad or it could be happy, depending on how you look at it. Well anyway here you go, and thanks for voting on the poll!**

His Favorite Christmas Story

A black haired man around 25 years briskly walked through the wooden doors of his business partner's home. It was December 24, 1937; he was at a Christmas Eve party that was very extravagant. The black haired man was known as Shikamaru; he was a business man and traveled around most of the time. He was at this party in a small town in Delaware at his friend/business partner Chouji's home, to finish fixing the deal they were making with the mayor of the town.

Shikamaru watched the carolers sing and many couples dance closely. He knew a few of the couples, the blonde haired man and a pale black haired woman, Naruto and Hinata. He'd done some business with Hinata's father, and had been friends with Naruto since elementary school. He'd been to their wedding last fall. Shikamaru also knew the couples standing close by a black haired man and pink haired woman standing by a brown long haired man and brown haired woman. The first couple Sasuke and Sakura, he'd been friends with Sakura for five years and new Sasuke through Naruto. He'd gone to their wedding as well four years ago, and he'd also been at the hospital to see their twins a girl and boy born a year earlier, and was probably going to end up going the their next kids birth in a few months. The other couple Neji and Tenten he knew through Hinata who was Neji's cousin, they'd gotten engaged a month ago. He'd also met a few of the others in passing.

Shikamaru leaned against the wall and watched silently, he didn't really care much for parties. That's when he saw her, a beautiful blonde haired woman in a lovely red dress. She walked through the door, making all the men turn and look. She looked straight at Shikamaru and he looked back. It was love the moment their eyes met. Shikamaru remained fixated on the woman, watching how her long fell around her shoulders, framing her face. He watched as she spoke to Sakura and Tenten, and as she turned down every man to ask her to dance. He saw her looking in his direction sometimes, but never thought she was looking at him. He'd watch as her rose colored lips moved to say no to another man, and Shikamaru realized her lipstick matched her dress perfectly.

Shikamaru watched her for so long trying to get the courage to go and ask her to dance. The men she'd turned down though were in his opinion much better looking then himself. That's when he the man next to him, who he hadn't seen said "You know she's waiting for you to ask her to dance." Shikamaru looked over and saw the man was Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke's older brother. Shikamaru just shook his head no. Itachi smirked and said "Why else would she keep looking at you?" Shikamaru looked confused for a second then said "How do you know she's not looking at you Itachi?"

"That's because I've only been over here for five minutes, and she's been looking at you all night. Also because my little sister asked me to tell you to ask her to dance, actually I think she said to make you go ask her to dance. I won't make you, but I'll tell you she really wants you to ask her to dance."

"Ah. How may I ask she got you over here?" Shikamaru replied not taking his eyes off the beautiful blonde woman.

"HN, she said that if I didn't she wasn't going to bring Lilly over to visit tomorrow."

"Hm your niece has you wrapped around her little finger." Shikamaru said still transfixed by the blond women, not noticing Itachi walking away. Finally though at a quarter till eleven he pushed himself off the wall and walked boldly toward her. Shikamaru reached her and asked "May I have this dance my lovely lady?" The lady smiled and took the hand he'd extended to her. The couple walked out onto the dance floor and danced the through the night. The mayor though kindly cut in and asked for Shikamaru's presents. So very early in the morning on Christmas the couple split apart, yet never caught each others name.

* * *

_He met her up in Delaware in 1937  
She was wearing red lipstick to match her pretty dress  
December 24th at a quarter till eleven is when he finally gained the courage to ask her to dance_

It was the night before Christmas, it was love at first sight  
The carolers sang as they danced through the night  
She was a small town girl, he was a traveling guy  
He never caught her name before they said their goodbyes

* * *

Shikamaru stepped into a small diner in a small town in Georgia. He'd just been to visit Neji and Tenten, and their 2 week old son. He'd been traveling around a lot making deals for his company. It was Christmas day of 1940. Shikamaru sat down and picked up the menu sitting on the table. A young waitress walked over and said "Hello Sir, I'm Melody. Are you ready to order?"

Shikamaru smiled and said "Just a moment more. Thank you." The young women turned and walked back to the counter, and another younger waitress came out. This young lady was vibrant; she had a lovely shade of red hair, and had shining blue eyes, that reminded Shikamaru of the beautiful blonde from 3 years ago. You could tell her it was her favorite day of the year. The young lady walked toward Shikamaru with a smile and said "Sir can you shed a little hardy cheer?" Shikamaru smiled and said "Come and take a seat and let me know your name." The young lady sat down politely a huge smile upon her face.

"My name is Lilly and Sir what may I ask is your name?"

"Ah, I'm Shikamaru, and Lilly you have a lovely name. I know a beautiful 4 year old girl named Lilly as well, that has every man she meets wrapped around her little finger. Would you happen to be like that as well?"

"Hehehe, I'm in no way like that. The only men I have wrapped around my finger are my Father and my Uncle."

"Ah I see well, would you like to hear my favorite Christmas story?"

"Yes please."

"This story is about a girl with no name." Shikamaru said pausing to watch the girl's joyful expression, but then continued "I met her up in Delaware in 1937; she was wearing red lipstick to match her pretty dress. It was December 24th at a quarter till eleven when I finally gained the courage to ask her to dance." Lilly smiled bigger then before, as the other young waitress who'd been listening walked up and said "Sir if you don't mind me asking was that a true story?"

"Oh I don't mind at all, and yes it is a true story. I fell in love with the girl with no name 3 years ago." Shikamaru said smiling at the few others in the diner listening in.

"Wow that's amazing and you haven't seen her since then?" Lilly asked bouncing in her seat

"Unfortunately not, but it's better to love and lose then not at all."

"That's amazing, but we're keeping you from your dinner. Are you ready to order Sir?" Melody asked

"Well everything sounds so good why don't you choose for me." He said to the two women.

"Oh of course sir we'll bring you the Christmas dinner; turkey, ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, and a hot roll. Oh and a piece of homemade pecan pie." Melody said writing as she said it.

"That sounds wonderful; oh and please do you have hot chocolate?"

"Oh yes of course," Melody said walking away leaving Lilly and Shikamaru alone at the table.

"Well thank you so much for the story, but I must be getting back to work."

"Oh it wasn't a problem at all, you have a merry Christmas."

"You too and I hope you find the girl with no name." Lilly said walking away leaving Shikamaru alone.

* * *

_A couple years later he was out on the road  
Having Christmas dinner in a diner alone  
When he saw a young waitress with a gleam in her eye  
Her favorite day of the year she showed her spirits were high  
She said sir can you shed a little holiday cheer  
A simple Christmas story was all she wanted to hear  
He looked prepared with a smile as he started to say here's my favorite Christmas story about a girl with no name_

He said I met her up in Delaware in 1937  
She was wearing red lipstick to match her pretty dress  
December 24th at a quarter till eleven is when I finally gained the courage to ask her to dance

* * *

After the day in the diner the years past quickly for Shikamaru. He was always on the road, he'd go home every once in a while, but never stayed in any one place for very long. One thing that never changed was the telling of his Christmas dance partner, he'd tell to any who would listen every Christmas. This earned him the name the Christmas story telling traveling man. Shikamaru never minded telling his story, and he'd never show any sadness over not meeting her since. Shikamaru just kept on living life.

* * *

_Every holiday season as he traveled he'd tell about his Christmas dance partner that he never knew well  
He'd share his favorite story with the locals he met  
He was called the Christmas story tellin traveling man_

* * *

By 1965 Shikamaru had settled down into a small town in Delaware. He was all by himself, except for the neighbor hood kids, who liked to hear him tell stories about his life on the road. They'd just gather at his house almost everyday, to hear another story about his life. Their favorite story of all was about the girl with no name. Every year on Christmas Eve they'd show up before dark and gather around, to hear their favorite Christmas story that they new by heart. Shikamaru would have all kinds of treats; hot chocolate, cookies, candies and more. The kids could quote the story word for word if you asked them to, because Shikamaru always told the story exactly the same. Shikamaru would smile at the children as they'd push closer to hear. Then he'd say "I met her up in Delaware in 1937; she was wearing red lipstick to match her pretty dress. It was December 24th at a quarter till eleven when I finally gained the courage to ask her to dance." The little girls would always giggle and say "I wish something like that will happen to me." The boys would just grin and push each other around.

* * *

_By age 53 he had done settled down  
All the neighborhood kids liked to gather around  
Just to listen to his stories about his life on the road  
All he had now were these children he told  
And every Christmas eve they showed up before dark  
He'd tell them all the story but they knew it by heart  
They could quote it word for word, he always told it the same  
It was his favorite Christmas story called the girl with no name_

He said I met her up in Delaware in 1937  
She was wearing red lipstick to match her pretty dress  
December 24th at a quarter till eleven is when I finally gained the courage to ask her to dance

* * *

It was December 25, 1985 and Shikamaru lay in a hospital bed. He'd been sick for awhile, and there wasn't anything the doctors could do for him. Shikamaru didn't have anyone left, the kids he'd told stories to had all grown up and moved on. Only one person was there the night he went home to Jesus. A little old nurse, who sat holding his hand, Shikamaru watched as the nurse smiled at him, and made his mind go back to that night in 1937 with the girl with no name. He looked at her his eyes sparkling and said "Mama could you shed a little holiday cheer?" Shikamaru wanted for the first time since he was a child to listen to a Christmas story instead of telling one. The little old nurse smiled sweetly and said "I met him up in Delaware in 1937. Though I never caught his name he was a traveling man. It was December 24th at a quarter till eleven, I'm so glad he got the courage to ask me to dance." As she spoke Shikamaru let tears slip from his eyes. He smiled really big and squeezed her hand and said, "My name is Shikamaru, and I would like to tell you my favorite Christmas story. What may I ask is your name?"

"Oh my name is Ino, but please don't speak. Yon only have so little time left and I wouldn't want you to waste your breath on me." Ino said smiling sadly, but Shikamaru shock his head and said "Please just listen to my Christmas story, because you're worth wasting a breath."

"Well if that's what you want, then I'll listen."

"Thank you," Shikamaru says pausing to wheeze in some more air and began, "I met her up in Delaware in 1937; she was wearing red lipstick to match her pretty dress. It was December 24th at a quarter till eleven when I finally gained the courage to ask her to dance. That is my favorite Christmas story that was called a girl with no name." Ino smiled at him with tears running down her wrinkled face. She squeezed his hand and asked "What's it called now?"

"Ah a girl named Ino." Shikamaru wheezed out coughing a few times.

The rest of that day up till a quarter till eleven they'd talked about all they'd done. Then at that moment at a quarter till eleven Ino leaned forward kissing Shikamaru softly on the lips, then on the forehead as he slipped away, on his way to heaven to wait for Ino to arrive.

* * *

_Twenty years later as he took his last breath  
It was on a cold Christmas morning on a hospital bed  
The children were grown, he had nobody left  
Except the little old nurse who was holding his hand  
He said Ma'am can you share a little holiday cheer  
A simple Christmas story was all he wanted to hear  
But his eyes filled with tears at the words that she spoke  
Because his favorite Christmas story was the one that she told_

She said I met him up in Delaware in 1937  
Though I never caught his name he was a traveling man  
December 24th at a quarter till eleven  
I'm so glad he got the courage to ask me to dance

* * *

**Well there it is I really like this story. I plan on working a lot more on Girls Sleepover now, but I've been real busy, with golf, school, and I have a fractured foot. Anyway please review!!!!**


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